By Liz Bentley
Setting boundaries with your family is hard in the best of times, let alone during a worldwide pandemic with people and pets surrounding you 24/7.
In many ways, the coronavirus crisis is forcing us to address this issue, especially when it comes to allotting time for ourselves, work, children and our partners.
But where to begin?
First, recognize that boundaries are about self-preservation. As an executive career coach, I’ve realized people are their happiest when their lives feel full. That typically means they have enough time to nurture their mind, body, and soul through a balance of meaningful work, play, rest and most importantly, human connection. Even if you are an introvert and enjoy alone time, the happiest people have meaningful relationships. But those relationships sour pretty quickly when you don’t allow them to have boundaries.
It’s most important to note that keeping boundaries is your responsibility. People who struggle the most with relationship boundaries typically have trouble saying “no” and are afraid of being the “bad gal/guy.” But, by not setting those boundaries, they end up resenting those relationships and often become passive aggressive. The key to success is to always look at yourself and where you need to shift, not at others in the hope that they will shift for you.
Here are some tactical solutions to implement during sheltering: